Enclosure with external means for operating an enclosed circuit interrupter



Oct. 19, 1965 s. A. MRENNA ETAL 3,213,219

ENCLOSURE WITH EXTERNAL MEANS FOR OPERATING AN ENCLOSED CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1962 1965 s. A. MRENNA ETAL 3,213,219

ENCLOSURE WITH EXTERNAL MEANS FOR OPERATING AN ENCLOSED CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed May 9, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 19, 1965 s. A. MRENNA ETAL 3,213,219

ENCLOSURE WITH EXTERNAL MEANS FOR OPERATING AN ENCLOSED CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed May 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 ES! INVENTORS WITNE s to Stephen A. Mrenno and @W Q. g ml Gerald J. Freese.

72% a, M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,213,219 ENCLOSURE WITH EXTERNAL MEANS FOR OPERATING AN ENCLOSED CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Stephen A. Mrenna and Gerald J. Freese, Brighton Township, Beaver County, Pa., assignors to Westmghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 9, 1962, Ser. No. 193,402 12 Claims. (Cl. 20050) This invention relates generally to electric control structures, and more particularly to electric control structures of the type comprising an enclosure and a circuit interrupter disposed within the enclosure with external operating means for operating the enclosed circuit interrupter.

In the art of enclosed circuit interrupters, it is desirable to have the external operating handle mounted on a fixed part of the enclosure and operatively connected to the enclosed circuit interrupter regardless of the position of the enclosure cover. Thus, the connection between the external handle and the enclosed circuit interrupter need not be disturbed during opening and closing operations of the cover.

An object of this invention is to provide a control structure comprising an enclosure having an openable cover and having a circuit interrupter disposed Within the enclosure with improved operating means mounted on a fixed part of the enclosure and connected to the enclosed circuit interrupter regardless of the position of the openable cover.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control structure in accordance with the immediately preceding object wherein both the openable cover and the fixed part of the enclosure are disposed at the front of the enclosure.

In order to have adequate leverage action of the external operating handle without having the handle extend past the front-elevational-view dimensions of the enclosure while at the same time keeping the width-wise dimension of the fixed front stationary part of the enclosure relatively small so that the enclosure opening can be relatively large, it is desirable to have the operating handle move in a plane that is generally normal to the planes of the base and cover of the enclosure.

Accordingly, another object of this invention is to provide an improved control structure in accordance with the immediately preceding object wherein the external operating handle moves in a plane generally normal to the planes of the base and cover of the enclosure.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electric control structure comprising an enclosure having a circuit interrupter mounted therein and an external operating handle mounted on a fixed part of the enclosure with improved means for transferring motion from the external operating handle to the enclosed circuit interrupter.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electric control structure in accordance with the immediately preceding object which control structure comprises improved latch means for latching the cover closed under certain conditions and for latching the circuit interrupter open under certain conditions.

The invention, both as to structure and operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an electric control structure constructed in accordance with principles of this invention;

3,213,219 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of the control structure seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale relative to FIG. 1, of the handle operating means and cover latching means seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line IVIV of FIG 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line V-V of FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are schematic views illustrating relative positions of parts of the invention during operation thereof.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a control structure 5 comprising an enclosure 7. The enclosure 7 comprises a receptacle 9 having an openable cover 11 at the front thereof. The receptacle 9 comprises a base 13 and four side walls 15 extending from the base, one of which side walls 15 is bent over to form a fixed front portion 17 of the receptacle. The cover 11 is pivotally supported at the front of the cabinet 9 by means of hinges 19. A circuit interrupter 21 having a handle portion 23 extending therefrom, is suitably mounted within the enclosure 7 on the base 13. The circuit interrupter 21 can be any of a number of types of circuit interrupters used to control opening and closing of an electric circuit. The enclosed circuit interrupter may be a switch, or it may be a circuit breaker of the general type shown, for example, in the patent to R. C. Strother et al., Patent No. 2,937,252.

The enclosure 7 comprises a cover closing means 25 that is attached to the cover 11. The cover closing means 25 is operable to move the cover 11 to a fully-closed position and to latch the cover 11 in the fully-closed position. The enclosure 7 also comprises an operating means 27 that is attached to the fixed front portion 17 of the receptacle 9. The operating means 27 is externally operable to operate the enclosed circuit interrupter 21. i

The cover closing means 25 (FIGS. 1-4) comprises an external handle 29 that is pivotally supported on the cover 11 by means of a bolt 31 (FIG. 4) that is disposed within a bushing 33, which bolt and bushing extend through a suitable opening in the cover 11. A plate 35 is secured to the inner end of the bolt 31 by means of a nut 37. The plate 35 and handle 29 rotate as a unit. A

torsion spring 39 is provided to bias the plate35 and handle 29 in a counterclockwise (FIG. 1) direction. Two rods 41 (FIG. 1) are pivotally secured to the plate 35 on opposite sides of the pivot 31 (FIG. 4) by means of pins 42. The outer ends of the rods 41 are supported on the cover 11 by means of brackets 43. The rods 41 are provided with bent ends 45 (FIG. 2) which ends 45 extend under ledges 37 at each end of the receptacle 9 to cam the cover 11 to the fully-closed position seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 when the handle 29 is rotated to the cover latching position seen in these figures. When the handle 29 is rotated counterclockwise from the position seen in FIG. 1, the plate 35 is rotated counterclockwise to pull the rods 41 inwardly to free the ends 45 thereof from under the ledges 47 to permit opening of the cover 11.

The operating means 27 comprises a support member 51 (FIGS. 3 and 4) that is secured to the stationary front part 17 of the receptacle 9 by means of two bolts 53. The support member 51 has an upwardly extending portion 55 that is positioned along a plane that is generally normal to the plane of the stationary front portion 17. An operating member 57 comprising two similar members that straddle the portion 55, is pivotally supported on the portion 55 by means of a pivot pin structure 59 (FIG. 2). An insulating handle portion 61 is provided at the free end of the operating member 57. A pinion 63 (FIG. 4) having teeth 65 thereon is supported by means of the pin structure 59 to pivotally move with the operating member 57. A rack plate 67 having a plurality of openings 69 therein is supported on the support 51 in a suitable track so that it can rectilinearly slide back and forth in its support. The pinion 63 cooperates with the rack plate 67 to rectilinearly move the rack plate upon pivotal movement of the operating member 57. A pin 71 (FIG. 4) and a pin 72 are both rigidly attached to the plate 67 to move with the plate 67. An arm 73 having one end thereof operatively connected to the pin 71, is pivotally supported, intermediate its ends, on a bracket 74 (FIG. 3) by means of a pivot type attachment 76. The bracket 74 is suitably secured to the inner side of the stationary front part 17 of the receptacle 9. A claw structure 75 is disposed at the outer end of the arm 73. As is seen in FIG. 1, the claw structure 75 straddles the operating member 23 of the circuit interrupter 21.

A latch 77 is pivotally attached to the support 51 by means of a bolt 79 that has a head portion 81 disposed in a recess 83 of the support 51. A slot 85 is provided in the bolt 79 to permit operation of the latch 77 from outside of the enclosure. As is best seen in FIG. 3, the latch 77 has a tail portion 87 at one end thereof and a latching portion 89 at the other end. A spring 91 is supported, at one end in a suitable opening in the tail portion 87 and at the other end in a suitable opening in a stationary bracket 92, to bias the latch 77 in a clockwise (FIG. 3) direction about the pivot 79.

A latch 93, comprising a part 94 and a part 95 secured together by securing means 96 (FIGS. 3 and 4), is pivotally supported on the cover 11 by means of a bolt 97 the upper end of which is disposed in a well-portion 98 of a bushing 99. A slot 101 is provided in the outer end of the bolt 97 to permit operation of the latch 93 by means of a screw driver or other suitable tool. A torsion spring 103 is provided to bias the latch 93 in a clockwise (FIG. 3) direction about the pivot 97. A slot or notch 104 (FIG. is provided in the part 95 for a reason to be hereinafter specifically described.

The operation of the control structure is as follows:

As is seen in FIGS. 1-4, the control structure 5 is shown with the enclosure cover 7 in the closed and latched position. The rods 41 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are positioned with the ends 45 thereof under the ledges 47 of the receptacle 9 to hold the cover 11 in a fully-closed position compressing a sealing gasket (not shown) that is disposed between the cover 11 and a ridge around the periphery of the opening of the receptacle 9. The handle 61 is shown in the on position in which position the operating member 23 of the circuit interrupter 21 is in the on position and the contacts of the circuit interrupter 21 are closed. With the operating handle 29 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the plate 35, which is positioned to hold the rods 41 in a cover latching position, is disposed so that a part 111 of the latch 93 engages in a slot 113 in the plate 35. Thus, the latch 93 is held in a position wherein a part 115 (FIG. 5) thereof engages the tail portion 87 of the latch 77 to hold the latch 77 in the unlatching position (FIG. 6) against the bias of the spring 91. With the latch 77 in the position seen in FIG. 6, the latch part 89 thereof is free of the pin 72 that is attached to the rack plate 67 permitting free movement of the rack plate in its track and, therefore, free unobstructed operation of the circuit interrupter 21 by means of the external operating member 57.

In order to open the circuit interrupter 21, the operating member 57 is rotated counterclockwise (FIGS. 2 and 4) about the pivot 59. During this movement, the teeth 65 (FIG. 4) of the pinion 63 engage in the notches 69 of the rack plate 67 to move the rack plate rectilinearly upward (FIG. 4) moving the pin 71 upward. As the pin 71 moves upward, it moves the operating arm 73 counterclockwise (FIGS. 1 and 3) about the pivot 76 to toggle the operating member 23 (FIG. 1) from the on to the 011 position.

Certain pertinent parts of the control structure are shown in FIG. 6 in the position wherein the cover 11 of the enclosure is in the fully-closed and latched position and the circuit interrupter is in the off position. The line 117 in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 represents the line 117 seen in FIG. 1 that indicates the position past which the part (FIG. 6) of the latch 93 must move in order for it to clear the stationary front portion 17 (FIG. 1) of the receptacle 9 to permit opening of the cover 11.

Referring to FIG. 6, the cover 11 (FIG. 1) cannot be opened merely by counterclockwise rotation of the handle 29 about the pivot 31. This movement is prevented because of the engagement of the part 111 of the latch 93 in the notch 113 of the plate 35. In order to open the cover 11 (FIG. 1), a worker must insert a screw driver or other tool in the slot 101 of the bolt 97 to rotate the latch 93 counterclockwise (FIG. 6) to clear the part 111 of the latch 93 from the notch 113 of the plate 35, whereupon the force of the torsion spring 39 (FIG. 4) rotates the plate 35 and handle 29 counterclockwise about the pivot 31 to the position seen in FIG. 7. During this movement, the two rods 41 are drawn inwardly from the position seen in FIG. 6 to the position seen in FIG. 7 to move the ends 45 (FIGS. 1 and 2) thereof out from under the ledges 47 of the receptacle 9 to thereby unlatch the cover 11.

If the enclosed circuit interrupter 21 is oil when the handle 29 and rods 41 are moved to an unlatching position, the parts will move to the position seen in FIG. 7, and the cover 11 (FIG. 1) can be opened merely by pivoting the cover about the hinges 19 (FIG. 1). If, however, the enclosed circuit interrupter 21 is on when the handle 29 and rods 41 are moved to the unlatching position, the parts will move to the position seen in FIG. 8, whereupon another operation must be performed in order to open the cover 11. This other operation will be hereinafter more specifically described.

Assuming that the enclosed circuit interrupter 21 is off" when the handle 29 and rods 41 are moved to the unlatching position by moving the latch 93 to the position seen in FIG. 7 by means of the screw 97, the enclosed circuit interrupter will be latched in the off position. Referring to FIG. 7, it will be seen that the periphery of plate 35 engages the part 111 of the latch 93 to hold the latch 93 in the position seen, in which position the latch portion (FIG. 5) of the latch 93 no longer biases against the tail 87 of the latch 77, and the tension spring '91 operates to move the latch 77 clockwise about the pivot 79 to a latching position. In the latching position seen in FIG. 7, the latch .part 89 of the latch 77 engages the pin 72 that is attached to the rack plate 67 to prevent downward movement of the rack plate 67 to thereby prevent a closing operation of the circuit interrupter 21 (FIG. 1) by means of the operating member 57. Thus, when the cover 11 (FIG. 1) of the enclosure 7 is opened with the circuit interrupter 21 in the off position, the circuit interrupter is automatically latched in the off position.

Although a person not familiar with the operating mechanism of the enclosure 7 would not readily be able to operate the operating member 57 to close the enclosed circuit interrupter 21 when the parts are in the position seen in FIG. 7, an authorized workman who would understand the operation of the enclosure, could defeat the interlock of the latch 77 by inserting a screw driver or other tool in the slot 85 of the bolt 79 to rotate the latch 77 against the bias of the spring 91 to clear the latch portion 89 from latching engagement with the pin 72. A worker could thus hold the latch 77 in this unlatching position with one hand and, with the other hand, operate the operating member 57 (FIG. 1) to move the operating member to the on position to thereby close the circuit interrupter 21. Thereafter, the worker, with the cover open and the circuit interrupter on could release the latch 77 whereupon the spring 91 would.

operate to rotate the latch 77 clockwise during which movement the pin 72 would be received in the generally C-shaped opening 121 formed by the latch 177 (FIG. 8).

If the worker, thereafter, turned the circuit interrupter 21 off by rotation of the operating member 57 (FIG. 1) the pin 72 would cam the latch 77 back against the bias of the spring 91, and, when the rack plate 67 reached the full off position, the spring 91 would oper-ate to rotate the latch member 77 back to the latching position in which it is seen in FIG. 7. Thus, another interlock defeating operation would be required in order to turn the circuit interrupter on with the cover 11 in the open position.

If the circuit interrupter 21 is on when the cover is opened, a worker could close the cover, during which movement the cam surface 125 (FIG. 5) of the latch 93 would engage the tail portion 87 of the latch 77 to pivot the latch 77 until the tail portion 87 thereof is moved into the slot 104 (FIG. 5) by means of the spring 91. In this position, the cover is partially closed; but not fully cammed closed by operation of the handle 29, and the parts are in the position seen in FIG. 8. In this position, the cover cannot be opened because of the engagement of the tail portion 87 in the notch 104 (FIG. 5) of the latch 93, which tail portion would engage the surface 127 to prevent opening of the cover 11. The cover 11, could thereafter be opened by an authorized worker, who would realize that the latch 77 could be moved to the unlatching position by rotating the screw 79 counterclockwise by means of a screw driver to move the latch 77 to an unlatching position to permit opening of the cover.

It the parts are in the position seen in FIG. 8, and the cover is thereafter operated to the fully-closed position by operation of the handle 29, the circuit interrupter could then be freely operated. During this operation, the parts are moved from the position seen in FIG. 8 to the position seen in FIG. 6 by clockwise rotation of the handle 29 and plate 35 moving the rods 41 to the latching position seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, during the end of which movement the part 111 of the latch 93 snaps into the slot 113, and the tail portion 87 of the latch 77 is cammed, by means of the cam surface 129 (FIG. 5) on the latch 93, back to the position seen in 'FIG. 6, in which position the part 115 (FIG. 5) of the latch 93 engages the tail portion 87 of the latch 77 to hold the latch 77 in the unlatching position. When the parts are in the cover fully-closed and latched position seen in FIG. 6, the circuit interrupter can be freely operated in the manner hereinbefore described.

As was hereinbefore described, when the enclosed circuit interrupter 21 is in the off position, one defeating operation (rotation of the screw 97) performable by means of a tool, is required in order to permit opening of the cover. When, however, the enclosed circuit interrupter is on, two defeating operations, each performable by means of a tool, are required in order to permit opening of the cover. In this case, the parts are initially moved, 'by rotation of the latch 93 by roating the screw 97 with a screw driver, to the position in which they appear in FIG. 8. In this position, although the parts of the cover latching mechanism 25 are moved to an unlatching position wherein the ends 45 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the rods 41 are clear of the ledges 47 of the enclosure, the cover 11 can still not be opened because of the engagement of the tail portion 87 of the latch 77 in the notch 104 (FIG. 5) of the latch 93, which tail portion 87 would engage the surface 127 of the latch 95 to prevent a cover opening operation. Thus, another defeating operation by means of a screw driver is required in order to permit opening of the cover. This operation comprises rotating the screw 79 (FIG. 8) to rotate the latch 77 counterclockwise to clear the tail portion 87 thereof from the notch 104 (FIG. 5) of the latch 93 to thereby permit opening of the cover 11.

If the enclosed circuit interrupter 2 1 is a circuit breaker of the type shown, for example, in the aforementioned patent to R. C. Strother et al., Patent No. 2,937,252, the breaker will automatically trip open in response to an overload current condition during which operation the handle 23 is moved to an intermediate position between the on and oil positions. During this movement, the operating member 57 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is moved to an intermediate position to provide an external visual indication that the circuit breaker has tripped. The circuit breaker can thereafter be reset by moving the external operating member '57 to a position slightly past the full off position. During this movement, the operating member .2 3 of the circuit interrupter 21 is moved to a position slightly past the full off position to reset the circuit breaker in the manner described in the abovementioned patent.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that there is provided by this invention an improved electric control structure comprising :an enclosure having a circuit interrupter mounted therein and an improved rack-and-pinion type operating means mounted on a relatively narrow fixed front par-t of the enclosure, which operating means is operatively connected to the circuit interrupter regardless of the position of the enclosure cover. The racka nd-pinion reduces [lost motion to a minimum and provides a uniform mechanical advantage that permits easy operation of the control structure. The rack plate of the operating means cooperates with a latching structure to automatically latch the enclosed circuit interrupter in the off position when the cover is opened and the circuit breaker is off. The latching means can be defeated by means of a tool to permit closing of the circuit interrupter when the cover is open. When the circuit interrupte-r is in the 013' position, a single inter-lock defeating operation can 'be effected by means of a tool to permit opening of the cover. When, however, the enclosed circuit interrupter is in the on position, although the cover latching means can be un latched by means of a tool so that the cover latching means no longer latches the cover in a closed position, an-other latching ope-ration occurs automatically so that a second interlock defeating operation must be effected by means of a tool in order to permit opening of the cover.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above described construction, and different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim as our invention:

1. A control structure comprising an enclosure, .a circuit interrupter disposed within said enclosure and having an actuating member movable to open and close the interrupter, said enclosure comprising a receptacle and an openable cover for opening and closing the receptacle, rack-and-pinion type operating means mounted directly on said receptacle, means operatively connecting said operating means with said actuating member, and said operating means comprising an external operating member movable to operatively move said actuating member.

2. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter disposed within said enclosure and having an actuating member movable to open and close the interrupter, said enclosure comprising a receptacle comprising a base, a fixed front portion opposite said base, said enclosure having an opening therein opposite said base, an openable cover closing said opening, a rack-and pinion type opera-ting means mounted on said fixed front portion, means operatively connecting and operating means with said actuating member regardless of the position of said cover, and said operating means comprising an external operating member movable to operatively move said actuating member.

'3. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter mounted within the enclosure and comprising an actuating member movable to open and close the interrupter, said enclosure comprising a base and side walls extending :from said base, said enclosure having an opening therein opposite said base, an openalble cover disposed generally parallel to said base and closing said opening, said enclosure having a fixed front portion disposed generally parallel to said base adjacent said opening, rack-and-pinion type operating means mounted on said fixed front portion, means operatively connecting said operating means with said actuating member regardless of the position of said cover, said operating means comprising an external operating member movable along a plane generally normal to the planes of said fixed front portion and said base, and said operating member being movable to operatively move said actuating member.

4. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter mounted within the enclosure and comprising .an actuating member movable to [open and close the interrupter, said enclosure comprising a base and side walls and having an opening therein opposite said base, an openable cover closing said opening and disposed generally parallel to said base, said enclosure having a fixed front portion adjacent said opening and disposed generally parallel to said base, operating means mounted .on said fixed front portion and comprising a rectilinearly movable rack plate, an elongated operating arm structure pivotally supported within said enclosure and operatively connecting said actuating member to said rack plate, a pinion pivotal to rectilinearly move said rack plate, and an external operating member pivotaflly movable to pivot said pinion to operate said rack plate and said operating arm structure to thereby operatively move said actuating member.

5. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter supported within said enclosure and having an actuating member operable to open and close the interrupter, said enclosure comprising a receptacle and an openable cover, a rack-and-pinion type operating means supported directly on said receptacle means operatively connecting said operating means with said actuating member regardless of the position of said cover, said operating means comprising an external operating handle movable to operate said actuating member to open and close said interrupter, and latch means cooperating with said operating means to latch said cover closed when said circuit interrupter is in a closed position.

6. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter disposed within the enclosure and having an actuating member movable to open and close the inter rupter, said enclosure comprising a base and side walls and having an opening at the front thereof, an openable cover closing said opening and disposed along a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, said enclosure having a fixed front portion adjacent said opening and disposed along a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, rack-and-pinion type operating means mounted on said fixed front portion, means operatively connecting said operating means with said circuit interrupter regardless of the position of said cover, said operating means comprising an external operating member movable to operatively move said actuating member, and latch means cooperating with said operating means to latch said cover closed when said cover and circuit interrupter are both closed.

7. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter mounted within said enclosure and comprising an actuating member movable to an on position to close said circuit interrupter and to an off position to open said circuit interrupter, said enclosure comprising a base and side walls and having an opening therein opposite said base, an openable cover closing said opening and disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, said enclosure having a fixed front portion adjacent said opening and disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, rack-andpinion type operating means mounted on said fixed front portion, means operatively connecting said operating means with said actuating member regardless of the position of said cover, said operating means comprising an operating member movable along a plane generally normal to the planes of said fixed front portion and said base, said operating member being movable to an on position to close said circuit interrupter and to an otF position to open said circuit interrupter, and latch means operating automatically to latch said cover closed when said operating member is in said on position.

8. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter mounted in the enclosure and comprising an actuating member movable to one position to close the interrupter and to another position to open the interrupter, said enclosure comprising a receptacle having an opening therein and an openable cover for closing said opening, rack-and-pinion type operating means mounted directly on said receptacle, means operatively connecting said operating means with said actuating member regardless of the position of said cover, said operating means comprising a support, an external operating member supported for movement on said support, said external operating member being movable to an on position to close said interrupter and to an off position to open said interrupter, latch means operating automatically to latch said cover closed when said operating member is in the on position, and latch defeating means operable only by means of a tool to defeat said latch means to permit opening of said cover when said operating member is in said on position.

9. A control structure comp-rising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter mounted within said enclosure and comprising an actuating member movable to one position to close said interrupter and to another position to open said interrupter, said enclosure comprising a base and side walls and having an opening therein opposite said base, an openable cover closing said opening and disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, said enclosure comprising a fixed front portion adjacent said opening and disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, operating means mounted on said fixed front portion and comprising a rectilinearly movable rack plate, an operating arm structure operatively connecting said rack plate to said actuating member, a movable pinion, an external operating member pivotal in a plane generally normal to said planes of said fixed front portion and said base and pivotal to move said pinion to effect rectilinear movement of said rack plate to thereby effect operative movement of said actuating member, cover closing means comprising an external handle mounted on said cover and movable to a closed position to latch said cover in a fully-closed position, latch means operable automatically when said cover closing handle is in the closed position to permit free movement of said operating member to an on position to close said interrupter and to an off position to open said interrupter, means maintaining said latch means in latching position when said cover closing handle is moved to an open position to thereby block rectilinear movement of said rack plate when said operating member is in the off position to thereby prevent operation of said circuit interrupter to the closed position when said cover is in the open position, and latch defeating means for defeating said latch means to permit free operation of said operating member when said cover is in the open position.

10. A control structure comprising an enclosure, 21 circuit interrupter mounted Within said enclosure and comprising an actuating member movable to one position to close said interrupter and to another position to open said interrupter, said enclosure comprising a receptacle having an opening therein and an openable cover closing said opening, rack-and-pinion type operating means supported directly on said receptacle, means operatively connecting said operating means with said actuating member regardless of the position of said cover, said operating means comprising a support, an external operating member supported for movement on said support, said external operating member being movable to operatively move said actuating member; a cover latching mechanism supported on said cover and operable to latch said cover in a closed position, a latch member, biasing means, when said circuit interrupter is closed and an attempt is made to open said cover said biasing means operating to move said latch member into latching engagement with said cover latching mechanism to prevent opening of said cover, and when said circuit interrupter is open and said cover latching mechanism is moved to an unlatching position said biasing means operating to move said latch member into latching engagement with said operating means to thereby prevent said operating means from being operated to close said circuit interrupter.

11. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter mounted within said enclosure and comprising an actuating member movable to one position to close said interrupter and to another position to open said interrupter, said enclosure comprising a receptacle and an openable cover, said receptacle comprising a base and side walls and having an opening therein opposite said base, said openable cover closing said opening and being disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, said receptacle comprising a fixed front portion adjacent said opening and disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base operating means mounted on said receptacle, said operating means comprising a support mounted on said receptacle, an external operating handle movably mounted on said supported and extending from said fixed front portion, said external operating handle being movable in a plane generally normal to the plane of said fixed front portion, said operating means comprising a rectilinearly movable rack plate, a pinion cooperable with said rack plate and being operated by movement of said external operating handle, connecting means operatively connecting said rack plate with said actuating member, said connecting means connecting said operating means to said actuating member continuously regardless of the position of said openable cover, said external operating handle being movable to operate said operating means from an on position to an off position to open said interrupter and from said off position to said on position to close said interrupter, latch means, when said cover is closed and said circuit interrupter is closed said latch means preventing opening of said cover, when said circuit interrupter is open said latch means permitting opening of said cover, and when said cover is open said latch means engaging said operating means to prevent said operating means from being operated to said on position.

12. A control structure comprising an enclosure, a circuit interrupter mounted within said enclosure and comprising an actuating member movable to one position to close said interrupter and to another position to open said interrupter, said enclosure comprising a receptacle and an openable cover, said receptacle comprising a base and side walls and having an opening therein opposite said base, said openable cover closing said opening and being disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, said receptacle comprising a fixed front portion adjacent said opening and disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said base, operating means mounted on said receptacle, 'said operating means comprising a support mounted on said receptacle external operating handle movably mounted on a fixed pivot on said support and extending from said fixed front portion, said external operating handle being movable in a plane generally normal to the plane of said fixed front portion, said operating means comprising a rectilinearly movable rack plate, a pinion oooperable with said rack plate and being operated by movement of said external operating handle, connecting means operatively connecting said rack plate with said actuating member, said connecting means connecting said operating means to said actuating member continuously regardless of the position of said openable cover, said external operating handle being movable to operate said operating means from an on position to an off position to open said interrupter and from said oil position to said on position to close said interrupter, latch means, when said cover is closed and said circuit interrupter is closed said latch means preventing opening of said cover, latch defeating means externally accessible and operable to defeat said latch means to permit opening of said cover when said cover and said circuit interrupter are closed, when said circuit interrupter is open said latch means permitting opening of said cover, and when said cover is open said latch means engaging said operating means to prevent said operating means from being operated to said on position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,368,083 1/45 Adam 20018 2,961,501 11/60 Piteo 200-5O 3,054,866 9/62 Rexroad 200 3,059,072 10/62 Mekelburg et al. 20050 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT K. SCHAFFER, BERNARD A. GILHEANY,

Examiners. 

1. A CONTROL STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE, A CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE AND HAVING AN ACTUATING MEMBER MOVABLE TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE INTERRUPTER, SAID ENCLOSURE COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE AND AN OPENABLE COVER FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE RECEPTACLE, RACK-AND-PINION TYPE OPERATING MEANS MOUNTED DIRECTLY ON SAID RECEPTACLE, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID 